In our reading in John today we have yet another I AM statement of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life.” If you are in Christ, if you are a child of God, these words bring great comfort and hope...we know that HE is the first fruits, we don't know exactly what we will be like in our resurrected state, but God promises that we will be like HIM and that is AWE-INSPIRING. Do you realize that we are being invited into the presence of the Trinity, of the Godhead? WE NEVER BECOME GOD, BUT WE WERE CREATED IN HIS IMAGE...REMEMBER! Peter tells us that we will be partakers of the divine nature! If that does not blow your hard drive then...well, call me...we need to talk:)
Remember that God did this, raised Lazarus from the dead, for HIS own glory...the same way HE allowed the man born blind to be born blind and then healed was to provide an opportunity to display the glory of God. Is HE just playing with us? NO! HE is setting us free from our SINS by HIS OWN blood. IF YOU EVER BEGIN TO WONDER IF GOD IS JUST MESSING WITH HUMANITY, JUST BEING MEAN IN ALLOWING ALL OF THE HORRIFIC THINGS THAT WE SEE...LET THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD TAKE YOU TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS...Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Check out the commentary below on our passage in John. I over slept this morning so forgive the brevity of my comments...many of you are thinking praise God and that is a good thing because that is our reading in Psalm 117 this morning...did you read it? I believe that you will be blessed with the following...I will warn you to slow down in your reading as you go:) ENJOY!
25. “I am the resurrection and the life.” First of all Christ says that he is “the resurrection and the life.” Then he explains each part of the statement separately and distinctly. First, Christ calls himself “the resurrection,” because the restoration from death to life naturally precedes the state of life. But the whole human race is plunged in death. Therefore, no one will possess life unless he is first risen from the dead. So Christ is here teaching that he is the start of life. Later he adds that the continuity of life is also the work of his grace.
The explanation which follows clearly shows that Christ is speaking about spiritual life: “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” So, in what way is Christ “the resurrection”? By his resurrection he regenerates the sons of Adam, who by their sin were alienated from God, so that they begin to live a new life. Away with those who idly say that people are prepared for receiving the grace of God by the movement of nature. They might as well say that the dead walk! Since no part or faculty of the soul is not corrupted and turned aside from what is right, the fact that men live and breathe and are endowed with sense, understanding, and will tends to their destruction. This is how death reigns everywhere, for the death of the soul is alienation from God. So people who believe in Christ, although they had been once dead, begin to live; for faith is a spiritual resurrection of the soul and, as it were, brings the soul alive, that it may live for God. As it was said earlier, “The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live” (5:25). This is indeed a strong commendation of faith, which conveys to us the life of Christ and thus liberates us from death.
26. “And whoever lives and believes in me …” Christ now explains the second clause, about how Christ is “the life” — because he will never allow the life to be lost which he has once given, but keeps it to the end. What would become of people, as they are so inherently frail, if when they have obtained life they are then left to themselves? The ongoing life must, therefore, also rest on Christ’s power, so that he may complete what he has started.
“… will never die.” It is said that believers “will never die” because their souls, in that they are born again “not of perishable seed” (1 Peter 1:23), have Christ living in them, through whom they are continually brought to life. Although “your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Romans 8:10). The fact that day by day “outwardly [they] are wasting away” does not take anything away from their true life, but in fact helps their progress since “inwardly [they] are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). What is more, death is itself a sort of liberation from the slavery of death.
“Do you believe this?” At first it appears that Christ is speaking about spiritual life in order to distract Martha from her present desire. Martha wanted her brother to be restored to life. Christ replies that he is the author of a better life, because he brings alive the souls of believers with a heavenly power. Yet I have no doubt that Christ intended to include both graces. So he describes in general that spiritual life which he gives to everyone who belongs to him; but he also wants to offer Martha a taste of the power which he would soon show in raising Lazarus.
27. “Yes, Lord.” To show that Martha believes what she had heard about Christ — that he is “the resurrection and the life” — she replies that she believes he is “the Christ” and “the Son of God.” This knowledge includes all of God’s blessings, for we must recall the reason why the Messiah was promised and the duty the prophets ascribe to him. When Martha confesses that he was the One who was to come into the world, she strengthens her faith by the predictions of the prophets. From this it follows that the full restoration of everything and perfect happiness are to be found in Christ and, in summary, that he was sent to set up and prepare the true and perfect kingdom of God.
Jesus called in a loud voice. Christ’s power is more clearly seen by the fact that he did not touch the body with his hand but only called out, using his voice. At the same time Christ commends to us the secret and wonderful efficacy of his Word. For how did Christ restore life to the dead but through his Word? So in the raising of Lazarus Christ shows us a visible sign of his spiritual grace which we daily experience through the perception of faith, for Christ shows that his voice brings life. Calvin, J. (1994). John. The Crossway classic commentaries (Jn 11:44). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.
Father in heaven,
burn these truths in our hearts and minds...enable us to hear HIS voice, the voice of our Master and LORD, enable us to follow with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength...for YOUR glory and our joy in YOU.
love,
m